Planning and Advice

While the special needs population continues to grow,
government funding is decreasing.
In late March 2012, the CDC announced that 1 in 88 children have autism,
and a research study estimated the annual cost of autism in the United States
is $126 billion, more than triple the amount in 2006. And that’s just one diagnosis.

In the fight for your child’s special education, there may be
issues along the way. While
special education was designed to meet children’s unique learning needs, there
are many times when a certain teacher or the school board cause more harm than
good. In these cases, you as the
parent need to step in and be your child’s advocate. You may even consider hiring a special needs attorney.

As a parent, there are going to be many times when you have to
fight for your child’s education. This
fight is even more prevalent if you are a parent of a special needs child or a
child with a learning disability. Many
times you will be able to resolve the issue with the school district, but other
times it may seem like your are a small voice fighting against the wind.

If you have a child with special needs, you may find yourself in certain
circumstances that require you to go to court and to use a special needs
attorney. No matter what the case
is, the right attorney is essential to find. The wrong attorney can end up overcharging you, not doing a thorough
job, and just lack the care and understanding of your child and the situation
that one should have.

How to Select a
Special Needs Attorney: Questions to Ask Your Attorney Before Hiring Them

As a parent of a special needs child, you don’t plan on needing a special
needs attorney, yet sometimes certain circumstances just come up. While you may be feeling stress from these
issues, one thing that should not stress you out is your special needs attorney.
The right attorney will help you
and your case while making you feel confident.

Suitable housing is one
of the most important factors for independent living for persons with special
needs.It
can also be one of the most expensive, both in terms of capital investment and
annual costs. Use a business
approach to carefully plan for your child's future well beyond your own lifetime.

Estate planning
and lifetime planning for parents with a child with a disability present
special challenges. The goals of the parents are to utilize their assets in
such away to enrich their child’s life while, at the same time, preserving the
child's public benefits.

Estate Planning Options

Parents of a
child with a disability have four options with respect to estate planning:

"My son is a year old, but all he does is make noises, I’ve
never heard any words come out of his mouth. I’ve mentioned this to the pediatrician on numerous
occasions and the doctor just tells me not to worry. He says my son will talk when he is ready. What does that mean?"